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Titans sign defensive end Casey to four-year deal

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have agreed to a contract extension with defensive end Jurrell Casey on a four-year contract.

Casey, who had a breakout season a year ago with 10.5 sacks, had been hoping for a new deal from the Titans since the off-season. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was in town this week to try and get the deal done. ESPN reported that the deal is worth $36 million over four years with $20.5 million of that guaranteed.

"We are excited to come to an agreement on an extension with Jurrell," said Titans general manager Ruston Webster. "This is something Jurrell has earned not only with his play on the field but his work ethic as well. We appreciate Jurrell's professionalism through this process and look forward to many good years to come."

Casey, even though he is switching from being a 4-3 under tackle to a 3-4 five-technique end, is considered a key cog on the Titans defense that is undergoing a transition.

Entering his fourth season, Casey has established himself as one of the best young interior defensive linemen in the NFL. Last season, he posted 10.5 sacks, which ranked second among all NFL defensive tackles and was the second-highest total by a defensive tackle in franchise history (Ray Childress, 13.0 sacks in 1992). He also established career highs in tackles (90), quarterback pressures (10) and passes defensed (3). His tackle tally last year, ranked sixth on the team and second among defensive linemen. Casey was named second-team All-Pro in 2013 by the Associated Press.

Kickers work out

The Titans worked out three veteran kickers on Wednesday, apparently hedging their bet in event that neither Maikon Bonani nor Travis Coons wins the current competition going on.

As TitanInsider first reported, Jay Feely, who was Ken Whisenhunt's kicker with the Arizona Cardinals, was one of the three brought in for a workout. The others included former Seattle, Buffalo and Tampa Bay kicker Rian Lindell and former New Orleans Saints kicker Garrett Hartley.

Feely, 38, made 30 of 36 field goals last year for the Cardinals, but lost out to rookie Chandler Catanzaro this week in the kicking battle in Arizona.

Lindell, 37,was 23 of 29 on field goal attempts last season in his only year with the Buccaneers.

Hartley, 28, was 22 of 30 last year for the Saints before being released after a bout with inconsistency in December. He is most famous for making the overtime kick that propelled the Saints past the Vikings in the 2009 NFC Championship Game and to the franchise's first Super Bowl berth.

Griffin wary of Meriweather suspension

Tennessee Titans safety Michael Griffin watched with a keen eye when saw the NFL hand down a two-game suspension to Brandon Meriweather of the Washington Redskins this week.

Meriweather, a repeat offender with hits to the head and neck area, was suspended for the first two games of the regular after a hit on Baltimore Ravens receiver Torrey Smith in a preseason game last weekend.

Griffin (Texas), who served a one-game suspension last year for a hit on Oakland's Mychal Rivera, said he knows that if he has a similar tackle this year that it could result in a two-game ban for him.

“I'm not afraid that they league is going to hammer me, but that might be the outcome if you get flagged again or whatever,” Griffin said. “I had a one-game suspension from last year, which he also had, and I see if you had a on-game suspension, then the next thing is two. But it doesn't mean I'm scared to go out there and play. I'm going out there to play.”

Griffin said that the risk of being suspended is just life as a defensive back in the NFL these days, where the league is becoming more safety-conscious and players are on notice regarding hits to the the head and neck area, even if they are unintentional.

“Last year, I got suspended because of repeat offenses, and that's just how it goes. Whether or not that's what they categorize you as or that's what you do, that's what the rules are,” Griffin said. “Me knowing I had a one-game suspension last year and know that within the last couple of years the third strike, last year with the third strike I got a one-game suspension, the fourth strike has to be a two-game suspension.”